Amen.....Finally, a little sanity comes to the surface...
It has become very apparent that diplomacy is not a strong suit of some of the members here, regardless of how knowledgeable they might be about the art of turkey hunting! Get a grip, guys!!

Amen.....Finally, a little sanity comes to the surface... It has become very apparent that diplomacy is not a strong suit of some of the members here, regardless of how knowledgeable they might be about the art of turkey hunting! Get a grip, guys!!

Jim

Well said. Couldn't agree more.

"It is unlikely you will become arrogant about your skills, because wild turkey gobblers do not tolerate arrogance." -Spring Turkey Hunting, John McDaniel

If we can't debate amongst ourselves how are we going to debate with somebody on the outside? Personal attacks are a totally different game but its mostly the as long as its legal group that is fast to throw insults and personal attacks.

The antis don't gain any advantage when we disagree on this site. They are not on here. They do gain credibility when a hunter is arrested for violating the game laws or when one hunter shoots another. That sort of stuff gets plastered all over the papers, TV and general web blogs. Hence, the fair discussion of the pros and cons of stalking or ambushing, stalking being perhaps the number one cause of turkey hunting "accidents".

The antis don't gain any advantage when we disagree on this site. They are not on here. They do gain credibility when a hunter is arrested for violating the game laws or when one hunter shoots another. That sort of stuff gets plastered all over the papers, TV and general web blogs. Hence, the fair discussion of the pros and cons of stalking or ambushing, stalking being perhaps the number one cause of turkey hunting "accidents".

It's only dangerous because the idiots that aim and pull a trigger on something they are not 100% sure on are out there. If we focused our efforts more on education on "knowing exactly what your shooting at" before actually discharging a weapon, maybe we wouldn't you wouldn't be in the situation of having a "no stalking" laws in some state. I understand there are a lot of fools out there that will pull a trigger on anything that moves, which is very unfortunate. However, my particular part of the country, state, and county do not breed idiots like these. I have a certain amount of trust in the locals in my area, but then again, it only takes one bad apple right? Even running into a turkey hunter where I hunt is very rare and I've gone most years never even seeing someone the whole season. So, I could be biased on the matter I guess. If I was in another state or area and only hunted specifically public land with shot flying over head all the time, I think my view would be different. It is truly sad that someone cannot recognize what is what at 50 yds or closer when turkey hunting. After all isn't that the yardage one's range would consist of? If your eyesight is failing you and you cannot see at this distance or closer, you have no business being in the woods with any kind of gun. JMO

"After eating an entire moose, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut."

Unfortunately, the woods are full of idiots, idiots who have to kill a turkey so they can brag to their friends about what a great turkey hunter they are. When these idiots have to kill a turkey, you don't want to be within five miles of them, much less 50 yards. As a turkey hunter, your only protection is eternal vigilance. If some of these idiots see movement they will shoot first and ground check later.

The antis don't gain any advantage when we disagree on this site. They are not on here. They do gain credibility when a hunter is arrested for violating the game laws or when one hunter shoots another. That sort of stuff gets plastered all over the papers, TV and general web blogs. Hence, the fair discussion of the pros and cons of stalking or ambushing, stalking being perhaps the number one cause of turkey hunting "accidents".

^Exactly.
Last year, some Bozos were shooting deer after the season at night under the street lights near a business behind a neighborhood. When the police gave chase, the offenders fled, leaving the illegally killed deer behind. The TV news got ahold of the story and started broadcasting that "hunters" were shooting deer at night & leaving them. I immediately contacted the news station and raised H#ll, asking how those guilty of poaching & breaking multiple game laws could be called "hunters" in the first place. I explained the responsibilities of hunting and proper sportsmanship & how those people were just clowns with a gun shooting at deer inside city limits at night. By the next newscast, they changed their story to label those poachers as such, and stopped giving law-abiding hunters a bad name.

There are enough hunting accidents (that should have been avoided) in the first place that bad publicity does not need to be used to discredit legal, ethical, careful hunters. It makes a person wonder what it would be like without hunter safety classes.

It's only dangerous because the idiots that aim and pull a trigger on something they are not 100% sure on are out there. If we focused our efforts more on education on "knowing exactly what your shooting at" before actually discharging a weapon, maybe we wouldn't you wouldn't be in the situation of having a "no stalking" laws in some state. I understand there are a lot of fools out there that will pull a trigger on anything that moves, which is very unfortunate. However, my particular part of the country, state, and county do not breed idiots like these. I have a certain amount of trust in the locals in my area, but then again, it only takes one bad apple right? Even running into a turkey hunter where I hunt is very rare and I've gone most years never even seeing someone the whole season. So, I could be biased on the matter I guess. If I was in another state or area and only hunted specifically public land with shot flying over head all the time, I think my view would be different. It is truly sad that someone cannot recognize what is what at 50 yds or closer when turkey hunting. After all isn't that the yardage one's range would consist of? If your eyesight is failing you and you cannot see at this distance or closer, you have no business being in the woods with any kind of gun. JMO

Theres idiots everywheres I doubt the populations of hunters by you is an exception. Mistaken ID isn't the only way people get shot while stalking turkeys either.
Imagine a hunter set-up on a bird the bird is strutting and gobbling and making his way to the hunter. He is concentrated on the bird and dosen't notice the da stalking the bird from the other direction he then fires at the bird spraying shot at the stalker blinding, or killing him. It happens more often then you believe.